


Nothing Lasts Forever

by still_lycoris



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Amorality, Crushes, F/M, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 11:26:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15242358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/still_lycoris/pseuds/still_lycoris
Summary: Jean isn't jealous. Probably.





	Nothing Lasts Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lachatblanche](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Everybody Wants to Rule the World](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13708338) by [lachatblanche](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/pseuds/lachatblanche). 
  * In response to a prompt by [lachatblanche](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/pseuds/lachatblanche) in the [xmen_remix_madness2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/xmen_remix_madness2018) collection. 



Jean was _not_ jealous.

Well. Not exactly.

Maybe a little.

She didn’t really remember a time before Charles and Emma had come into her life. Oh, she knew things had _happened_ before that – she’d been nine when everything had changed. But that wasn’t interesting, it wasn’t important. It was dull and dark in her memory. 

Charles had come to find her when she was ten. She hadn’t known that he didn’t do that for every mutant child then. She hadn’t realised that she was special, even though Charles had told her so.

“There’s not many telepaths,” he’d told her, smiling as they walked together in the garden. “Certainly not many as powerful as us. Emma and I are both very powerful and you ... you’re very powerful too. Would you like to come and learn how to use your powers with me?”

She had been a little bit afraid then. Only a little bit. She knew that Charles was powerful. She knew that Emma was powerful too. She would be leaving her parents to live with the most powerful people in the world. And yes, she had some skills, she’d always known she was a bit different but she wasn’t _that_ powerful ... was she?

_Oh yes_ Charles said in her head, warm and soft. _You are incredibly powerful. Would you like to see properly?_

He opened her mind then. She’d never felt her powers quite like that before, billowing and blossoming around her. Suddenly, the world that had seemed oppressive was wide open, the walls that had blocked her were down. Everything was light and fire and with her was Charles, laughing at her excitement.

“To be a telepath alone is frightening,” he told her. “I know that. But when we are together, we are ... so much more. There is nothing to fear when Emma and I are with you.”

That wasn’t entirely true, of course. She was always safe with Charles but she knew quickly that Emma didn’t like her quite as much. She didn’t know _why_ (well, not then) just that there was ... something. Something prickly between them, cold and disapproving, even though Emma smiled sweetly and patted her on the head and said she was entirely welcome in their home.

She understood better now, of course. Emma didn’t like her because _she_ was jealous.

Jean was powerful. More powerful than Emma. Which, as Charles had told her, meant very little at the start.

“Raw power is all well and good but even someone far weaker than you can bring you down if you’re open to it. You can hit a wall and knock it straight down but if they can hide in the bricks and stab you, it will have done you no good at all.”

Jean hadn’t really believed that at first but Charles had shown her. Charles had taught her so much. She knew how to pull her power into herself, hide it away until she needed it. She knew how to burn like the sun, how to blaze and how to smoulder. Charles guided her through every single way, built her up, showed her everything she could be.

She adored him. She wasn’t ashamed of that. Charles was everything.

The thing was, he was everything to Emma too.

And that was the other reason that Emma was jealous.

Jean hadn’t known that at first but she could see it now. It wasn’t that Emma wasn’t powerful – she was, she was very powerful. But Charles was more powerful and he was also more inclined to be charming. He knew how to sweet-talk where Emma just got angry. He charmed when Emma prickled. He was warm where she was cold. People feared Emma. They feared and loved Charles.

Jean didn’t fear Charles. But she did, perhaps a little, fear Emma.

Emma didn’t like people that tried to steal her things. And it was very, very clear that she saw Charles as hers. 

Jean didn’t agree.

She didn’t particularly want to fight Emma. She _liked_ the way things were, for the most part. Emma had been kind enough to her when necessary. Emma had made their world possible and Jean was grateful for that. If Emma hadn’t done what she had done, Jean might never have found Charles to begin with. Might never had been able to grow into the giant she knew she was.

It was just that she wanted a little more.

And she was Jean Grey and the older she got, the more powerful she got, the less she saw why she shouldn’t _have_.

She probably wouldn’t do anything too drastic. She didn’t really want to rule, not the way Emma did. Emma could keep her throne. Perhaps she’d even still get some of Charles.

Jean was fairly sure that once she had won, she could be generous.

There would be no need for any petty jealousy then.


End file.
